Fresh from reinventing one of the icons of the Silver Age with Iron Man 3, Lethal Weapon and Kiss Kiss Bang Bangdirector Shane Black is going to tackle one of the progenitors of the whole subgenre, 1930s pre-Golden Age adventurer Doc Savage – the Man of Bronze!

Although over his long lifespan, Doc Savage comics have been published by both DC and Marvel (and many more besides), this incarnation of the pulp adventurer created in 1933 by Henry W Ralston, John L Nanovic and Lester Dent will be developed for Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures.

Black is set to write and direct, while Neal H Moritz, Ori Marmur and Michael Uslan will produce.

Columbia Pictures president of production said in a press release, “We couldn’t be more excited to be building a franchise from the ground up with Shane and this team.

“Shane and Neal [H Moritz, producer] have a fantastic understanding of the character and a great take on the material and we can’t wait to get this production up and running.”